ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · snap · firm · degree · file · chip · bank · rash

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. degree — temperature
  6. file — a tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. chip — to eat
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. snap — to click
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. firm — steady
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rash — a series
  22. file — a document
  23. firm — a company
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com